Mariano Rajoy refuses to apologise after racist remarks about France | OneFootball

Mariano Rajoy has refused to apologise for racist remarks about France, instead doubling down and mocking the row in a subsequent column.

On the eve of the World Cup semi-final between France and Spain, the former Spanish prime minister, who served from 2011 to 2018, wrote in El Debate that the France team were a top-level side but, he said, without French players.

His comments drew immediate condemnation from French politicians, from his Spanish counterpart, and from Spain players including Pau Cubarsí and Lamine Yamal.

The French embassy in Spain responded on social media, stressing that every member of the France squad holds French nationality. Pedro Sánchez later apologised to French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu and to Brigitte Macron, saying he had been deeply ashamed of his predecessor's words.

After Spain's 2-0 win over France, on Tuesday 14 July, Rajoy published a new column titled "Il faut avoir le sens de l’humour", in which he thanked the authorities for the attention and said it was a pity such efforts had distracted them from other issues. He also targeted Sánchez, referring to multiple legal cases touching his private and professional circles and the PSOE, and said they never apologise, expecting others to do so.

Source: Le Progres